Through Leaps And Bounds
by Minx The Shadow Thief
Summary: Lucy Heartfillia is the daughter of a wealthy family but not wealthy enough to have a title. She now lives in Lady Ezra's home, as a boarder, meaning she attends every single party and event where wealthy, single, hopefully titled gentlemen are. What she doesn't know is that her entire world will be thrown for a loop when she meets one such man, by the name of Natsu Dragneel. AU
1. Chapter 1

**((AN: Hello and welcome to my first Fairy Tail story! This is half inspired by a story I read a long long time ago and half by my own imagination. I hope you enjoy and any questions, comments, concerns, leave them in a review! Thanks! ~Minx))  
**

Through Leaps and Bounds

It was only four months ago that Lucy Heartfillia had packed her bags and moved across the country to live in a strange house with strange people she knew nothing about. A sigh escaped her lips as she stared out the carriage window.

"Lucy! Cheer up, it's your first party!" Levy spoke up beside the blonde. Lucy smiled at her new friend and nodded. She then looked down at her hands, resting in her lap. Earlier that morning, she was woken and taken on a whirlwind of bathing, perfumes and corsets. She was now wearing a gown, which was choking the life out of her, but made her look amazing nonetheless. It was a pale blue, pale enough to look white, the neck line was square, coming to the tips of her shoulders before turning into sheer sleeves trailing down her arms. The skirt was full, with at least two petticoats underneath the blue embroidered material, creating a dramatic difference between Lucy's tiny corseted waist.

Levy was a similarly styled gown, however her's was a rich burgundy color. Her blue hair pulled into a curled bun with bejeweled pins. Lucy's blonde hair was left down, in large curls, pulled away from her face with simple pins. Erza, while only being a few years older than the girls she boarded, made sure each girl was up to standards when it came to parties. She truly cared about the girls she had taken under her wing, and from the stories Lucy had heard in the last few months, there were many girls who had found husbands while living with the redheaded Lady.

"Oh, Lu-Chan! This is going to be so fun!" Levy giggled before composing herself, though her wringing hands gave her nervousness away. The carriage came to a halt and the door opened, hand extended to help the girls down. Erza and the three other boarders were already waiting. Lucy couldn't help but be jealous of the beautiful girls, who had been to more parties and events than she could count.

There was Juvia Lockser, a blue-haired beauty from a country across the sea, where the speech pattern was interesting. Juvia referred to herself in the third-person, and no amount of coaching from Erza or tutors could break the girl of her habit.

Next to her was Cana Alberona, daughter of a wealthy business owner. She was older, and had a slight drinking problem, which was why one of the girls had to be Cana at all times or the brunette would be at the bottom of a barrel or bottle before one could blink.

And finally there was Lisanna Strauss, the white haired, youngest daughter of one of the most prestigious noble families in the kingdom. The only reason Lisanna was boarding with Erza was because of her reputation, and the fact that the Scarlett and Strauss families were very close.

Lucy felt she paled in comparison to the others, and things only got worse when she realized that her first party not only included royals, but was in honor of the Prince himself. Lucy had heard stories of the young royal, who trained with knights and refused to ride in carriages. But even with his, well, rambunctious reputation every girl in the kingdom would kill for a chance to be his bride.

Once all the girls were assembled and petticoats fluffed from the carriage ride, Lady Erza offered each of them a rare smile, and a few words of encouragement.

"Screw anything up and heads will roll." The girls could only nod, fear evident on their faces.

"Good, now come on, before the night wears on." Lady Erza headed up the very long staircase to the palace like she owned them, not even turning to see the five girls scramble to catch up. Lucy couldn't help but stare in awe as they entered the home of the royal family.

Everything was marble, from the floors to the pillars; even the ceilings seemed to be the beautiful stone. The decorations were the colors of fire, reds, oranges and yellows everywhere. And this was just the entrance hall. Up another flight of stairs and down one long marble hall was the grand ballroom, where tonight's party was taking place.

"Lady Erza Scarlett, and guests!" A squire called as the group moved to the front of the cue entering the hall. Lucy was thankful all their names were not called out in such a fashion. The group made it's way down yet another flight of stairs, and entered the throng of people gathered around the hall.

At the head of the hall sat the King and Queen, with two extra thrones on either side of the pair, each for the Prince and Princess. When it seemed no formal introduction of the royal family would take place, the orchestra commenced and the party began.


	2. Chapter 2

**((AN: Wow, thanks to everyone who read this little idea of mine! I will give you a warning though, I am a college student, with a hectic major and I have no idea when or how often I will be able to update this story, I had some time today and after seeing the favorites and follows I just had to write some more! Thanks again! And and questions, comments or concerns just leave in a review! Btw, I don't own Fairy Tail, if I did, the whole almost death and seven year gap thing would have never happened. Enjoy! ~Minx)**

Molten black eyes scanned the crowd gathered around the hall. A small chuckle escaped his lips. He tried his best not to look too royal, even forgoing the crown that seemed ever present upon salmon colored hair. Now that same hair was let free, spiked freely and messy. His mother disapproved, his father shook his head and his sister just gave him one of her giggles.

"Sir, shouldn't you be joining your own party?" The cold familiar voice behind him said, an armored hand gesturing to the crowd behind the curtain the two men were currently behind.

"Gray, you do realize that my parents threw this party so that I may, as they put it, 'find a suitable young maiden to continue the honorable Dragneel blood line'." Natsu air-quoted the last phrase to his best friend and bodyguard.

"You know they'll get suspicious if you never show up." Gray said, the roll of his eyes evident in his tone.

"I know, I'm just waiting for the right moment," The royal replied, eyes on the crowd again, "The thing is, all these people know me, they'll bow as soon as they set their eyes on me. You know how I hate that. I want to see someone I don't…" He trailed off as his eyes landed on a certain blonde.

"Don't? Don't what?" Said bodyguard followed his charges gaze to the blonde in question and whistled, "Never seen her before."

"Exactly. Let's go." Natsu stood, straighten his coat and entered the party, followed quickly by Gray.

On the other side of the hall, Lucy was watching crowd dance, laugh and over all be merry. She however, was not. She was stuck with watching Cana, so the woman wouldn't steal the entire supply of alcohol.

"Lucy, you can let me have one drink you know." The brunette pouted, edging slightly toward the refreshment table. Lucy deftly reached out to the woman's elbow, stopping her attempt, her eyes never leaving the crowd in front of her.

"Cana, who is that Levy is dancing with?" Lucy pointed to her blue haired friend, who was being swept around the dance floor by a gruff looking man, at least a head taller than the girl in his arms.

"His name is Gajeel. He's been on and off again courting Levy. I think he doesn't want to hurt her. He's the Prince's cousin, meaning that he has little chance of ever getting the throne. Which is why he is training to be a knight, almost through the entire process, but you know the law. Once you make it through the process, depending on where are you are placed, means that he can't get married." Cana answered, eyeing the happy young girl dancing with the distant royal.

"That's not fair at all. For either of them." Lucy murmured.

"Ms. Alberona, may I have this dance?" A gentleman had walked over the pair and held out a hand for Cana, who swiftly curtsied and took it, allowing herself to be lead to the dance floor.

Lucy let out a sigh, watching her friend walk away. She was the last one left from Erza's group, and that was saying something.

"May I have this dance?" Lucy turned at the sound of a voice, brown eyes meeting black. She smiled weakly, and took the hand that was offered to her. It wasn't until they had started to move around the dance floor that she noticed the eyes that were on the two of them.

"I'm sorry sir, but I didn't catch your name." Lucy smiled politely, looking up at her partner with unusually large eyes.

"I'm sorry, the fault it mine. My name is Natsu, and yours Milady?" The salmon haired man, now known as Natsu asked, a slight smirk never leaving his lips.

"Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia." The blonde answered, once again catching eyes upon the pair, "Sir I was-"

"Natsu, just Natsu if you don't mind, no sirs needed." He cut her off with a chuckle.

"Well, Natsu, if you don't mind me asking, but have you noticed that people are staring at us?" Lucy stuttered slightly over the lack of the respectful title.

"They must be jealous that I am dancing with the most beautiful girl here." Natsu answered smoothly, though knowing the true answer to be that she, some no one had seen before, was dancing with the Prince. The dance soon ended and partners bowed.

"Thank you for the dance, Natsu." Lucy said as she curtsied, a slight blush coloring her pale cheeks.

"The honor was mine, Lucy," He answered, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles softly, causing the blush to grow a bit stronger on her cheeks, "I was wondering, if you would like to walk around the gardens with me, they are open because of the occasion?"

Lucy blinked, before nodding, her hand never leaving his as he led her out of the hall and to the gardens.

What Lucy didn't know was as they exited the hall; all eyes were on them, whispering spreading around the room like wildfire.

To Natsu and Lucy, the world was their own, walking about the palace gardens just talking. About their lives, how they grew up, what they wanted to do with their lives. Lucy, Natsu noticed, could talk for days and days if she had to.

"My family isn't titled, even though we are wealthy, which is why I am here. I am to find a husband that can take care of me." She said with that formal tone of voice Natsu was all too used to.

"Marriage? That is something you should do when you're older. I want to enjoy my youth, not worry about getting married." He answered deftly, looking up at the stars.

"I'm almost 18…" Lucy whispered, "My mother and father were married when my mother was 16…"

"My parents too, married young I mean. But it was arranged, not that they don't love each other, I think they do at least. But when I get married, I want it to be because I want to, not because they say I have to." Natsu said with a smirk, and he definitely wouldn't have his little sister be in an arranged marriage when he took the throne.

"That's a nice thought." Lucy said, looking up at the man, who was smiling at the stars, his black eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, with ambition or dreams, she did not know.

"Come on, I think the party is ending soon." Natsu took her hand again and led the tiny girl to the palace once again. As they entered the hall, a squire was making an announcement.

"The last dance of the evening shall be led by the Prince and Princess of Fiore!" The squire gestured a small blue haired girl, wearing a small tiara on the top of her head. A black haired man escorted her, allowing her to stand on his feet as he moved around the floor.

Natsu tugged on Lucy's hand, leading her to the floor.

"Natsu, this dance is for the Prince and Princess." She protested, pulling back slightly. He only looked at her with a smirk and successfully pulled her to the floor, and started the dance.

Then it donned on her. She spent the entire night with the Prince of Fiore.

Natsu Dragneel.


	3. Chapter 3

**((AN: Wow you guys, you have no idea how much you all are inspiring me to write this story much more! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Now I have a question for you all, would you like to draw the cover art for this story? I would draw it myself, but the skills to do so...hehehe. So without further ado enjoy! Questions, comments, concerns, leave in a review! ~Minx))**

"Dear Mother and Father,

I attended my first party last night. It was in honor of the Prince."

Lucy sighed, setting down her quill before crumpling up the piece of parchment for the fifth time. No matter how she worded it, or spelled it out, she could not put down on paper how she spent the entire night talking and dancing with the Prince of Fiore and had not even known it was him!

Maybe she couldn't write it down because she didn't believe it herself. She thought back to the night before, just as he pulled her from the crowd for the final dance of the night.

The world seemed to spin faster than normal around the pair as Natsu, no the Prince smiled down at her.

"I didn't tell you, because of this reaction." He finally whispered, "The same reaction there always is. Just because I'm a royal, doesn't mean that I'm not a person too…"

Black met brown and only for that moment, did the two colors sing harmony together.

"Why me?" Lucy wondered, and apparently, she wondered out loud because Natsu then chuckled.

"Because you didn't know. Do you feel any different about me now that you know?" He asked with a very serious tone.

Lucy bit her lip; she didn't quite know herself. The same man she spent talking to and dancing with all night, was the Prince of Fiore. The one who in a few short years would be King, ruling the kingdom. But a tiny voice in the back of her head said, did it matter? What is a title anyway besides a fancy thing to put in front of your name?

Lucy smiled and shook her head, "It doesn't matter…" She whispered, gaining a confused look from the royal's face caused the blonde to giggle, "You aren't any different, Natsu."

All too soon the dance ended, the Prince once again, took her pale hand and kissed her knuckles, "Until we meet again."

That night, back at the Scarlett Manor, Lucy was bombarded with questions. She didn't answer a single question; she was too busy staring at the stars.

Unknown to her, Natsu was staring at those same stars, wondering how in one night, a woman like that could bring such confusing and wonderful feelings from deep in his chest.

"Lucy?" Juvia knocked on the girl's door before entering, "A royal messenger is here to see you."

Lucy looked confused for a moment before standing from her desk and straightening out her simple dress, following Juvia out of the room.

In the foyer stood a squire, talking with Erza, and couldn't look more scared in his life.

"Ah, Lucy. Here you are, it seems the Prince has taken a liking to you." Erza said, gesturing to the squire.

"Ms. Heartfilia, the Prince would like to invite you, and the rest of the ladies residing in Scarlett Manor for a private luncheon with the royal family." The squire said, bowing and handing the blonde a wax-sealed letter.

Lucy could feel a blush start to color her cheeks as she took the letter, "I've also been instructed not to leave until I have been given an answer."

"Lucy, why don't you go read the letter while we entertain…I'm sorry, what's your name sir?" Erza asked.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" The squire jumped, "Al-Alzack. Alzack Connell."

"Oh, yes, you are married to Bisca, correct?" Cana asked, leading the squire away.

Lucy sat down on a near by chair and opened the letter.

'Lucy! I hope you had fun last night! I know I did, anyway. I want you to come for a luncheon with my family! You can bring anyone you'd like with you! Make sure to send Alzack back with your reply as soon as you can cause my parents was to meet you, meaning they want to meet you as soon as possible! So I told them that you'd come for lunch tomorrow! Can't wait for your reply!

Natsu.'

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at the letter, for a Prince, he wasn't very eloquent when it came to writing. She couldn't stop thinking about the salmon haired Prince and how much one night could change so much.

She stood quickly and found Alzack surrounded by the four girls, asking about every little detail of his life, for some odd reason.

"Alzack, please tell the Prince that we will be accepting his invitation." Lucy said, smiling as the squire quickly stood and bowed, excusing himself to return to the palace.

"His invitation?" Lisanna asked.

"We're eating with the royal family." Lucy said, another blush creeping up her cheeks.

A gaggle of squeals echoed through out the manor.


	4. Chapter 4

**((AN: Thanks a lot guys! Sorry about the short chapter last time, it was a bit rushed on my part, these next few chapters should be a bit longer! Now I want to reply to my reviewers cause really the reviews and follows and favorites just make me want to write more! Really, thank you!**

**Cat Goliath: Thank you! Yeah I know, it is a bit weird, honestly, it's weird writing him that way, but it's the period and he'll loosen up more the next couple chapters, don't worry.**

**Anaklusmos863: I know the chapters are kinda short, it's partially on how the story comes to me and partially because I don't have much time to write extremely long chapters, hope this one is long enough!**

**PARADISE.x: Thank you! No more waiting!**

**KawaiiOdango: I know, isn't it? Enjoy the next chapter!**

**dog's paw burning in hot ash: Thank you so much! Hope you like the new chapter!**

**blissfulme: Thanks! You'll just have to read to find out! ; )**

**And again, I don't own Fairy Tail.))**

Lucy didn't know quite what to expect when she was once again corseted and preened to go to the royal palace. She was more nervous to say the least, had she made that much of an impression on the Prin- Natsu? She corrected her thinking quickly, remembering what the salmon haired royal had told her and what she accepted to be true.

The title or lack there of, did not define the person. Which is what the King and Queen would think when meeting the title-less girl their only son was enamored with.

At the palace, Natsu could barely stay still, pacing the length of his room over and over again, till it seemed he wore a hole in the lush carpet.

"Natsu!" Wendy, Natsu's younger sister, cried from the bed, "Are you really that nervous? Mother and Father won't be that bad!"

"I can't help it! I really liked her! She got to know me as just me, not me as the Prince, you know?" He smirked, plopping down next to his sister on his bed.

"I know, that's all you ever go on about. How nobody likes you because of you, because you're the Prince, blah blah blah…" Wendy giggled, repeating the words he heard from her brother a thousand times.

Natsu quirked an eyebrow, "Is that so? Blah blah blah? Well I'll show you!" He scooped the young girl into his arms and began tickling her, causing squeals and laughter to echo throughout the room.

"Nat- hahaha –su! Brother! Stooo- hahahaha –op!" Wendy managed to get out between fits of laughter. Natsu finally let up to let his sister catch her breath and held her on his lap.

The young girl snuggled into her brother's chest, "Do you think she's the one?" She whispered almost too quiet to hear.

Natsu actually didn't know the answer to that. He knew he enjoy talking and even dancing with the blonde. He wouldn't mind doing it again and hoped that his parents could see that he cared for her.

"Don't know…" He finally murmured, to answer the girl in his arms at least.

Wendy just giggled, "They should be here soon, don't cha think?"

Just as the blue haired princess predicted, horns sounded, ringing the arrival of their guests.

In the main hall, the King and Queen waited for their guests.

"Grandine, do you know anything about this young lady that Natsu didn't tell us?" Igneel asked his wife, trying not to sound too precocious.

Grandine gave her husband a small smile, "Not at all, which is what he seems to like about her."

Igneel suppressed a groan as his son and daughter seemed to fly down the staircase and took their places on either side of their parents. Natsu reluctantly withstood his mother's attempt at straightening his unruly salmon hair. Though once she turned back his hair sprung back to its disarray.

"Announcing Lady Erza Scarlett! Ms. Cana Alberona, Ms. Juvia Lockser, Ms. Levy McGarden, Ms. Lisanna Strauss and Ms. Lucy Heartfilia." Alzack called as the group walked into the hall.

Natsu perked up and without hesitation ran up to the blonde, who was caught off guard and promptly landed on her back, "LUCY!"

Every pair of eyes in the hall looked like they were going to pop out of their heads. Grandine quickly moved forward and grabbed her son's ear, dragging him back to the set of thrones, causing the young royal to moan in pain. Lucy, face the color of a tomato, quickly got to her feet, and avoided the eyes of everyone in the room, especially the King and Queen.

Erza, getting over her shock quickly, stepped forward and bow her head, "Thank you your highnesses for inviting us to the palace. It is quite an honor for me and the girls." The girls behind the red head curtsied as if on cue.

Erza, getting over her shock quickly, stepped forward and bow her head, "Thank you your highnesses for inviting us to the palace. It is quite an honor for me and the girls." The girls behind the red head curtsied as if on cue.

"Well, our son hasn't stopped talking about Ms. Heartfilia since the party." Igneel said gesturing for the group to follow him to the table situated just off to the left of the hall. Lucy looked up briefly to see Natsu smiling at her, butterflies danced in her stomach as she returned the gesture, sitting in her seat between Levy and Juvia, who was staring at one of the guards to the point where she was practically drooling. Over all the actual lunch part of the day went well. Very little conversation was to be had and it was mostly between Erza and the King and Queen. After lunch, however, was a different matter.

"Wendy, why don't you and Sir Gray give the girls a tour of the palace?" Grandine asked her daughter, who nodded and lead the group from the hall along with the guard Juvia had been drooling over.

"Lucy, would mind staying for a few moments?" The blonde turned to see the smiling royal, holding out her hand for her to follow. Lucy nodded and followed the Queen to the gardens, where Natsu and she spent the night talking away.

"My son is very enamored with you. He hasn't stopped talking about you at all since the party." Grandine said softly, glancing at the rose bush to her right.

Lucy felt a blush creep up her cheeks, "I'm very honored your majesty that Na- the Prince speaks so highly of me." She thanked the stars that she caught herself in time.

The older royal chuckled softly, "Please, call my son what he asked you to, whether that be his title or his name." Lucy could only nod.

"Lucy, I must warn you. My son can be very over zealous at times, please humor him, if you will, and should he say something rash, don't take it too seriously." Lucy met the eyes of the Queen, however, she wasn't speaking as the Queen, but as a mother. The blonde smiled and nodded.

"Lucy!" Natsu came running up to the pair, "Mother, I wanted to show Lucy the stables and Happy!" He took hold of Lucy's write and proceeded to drag her in the opposite direction. Lucy looked back at the Queen and mouthed, 'Thank you.'

Grandine smiled, watching her son take off with the blonde. She had no reservations now at all.


	5. Chapter 5

**((AN: I say thank you so much in this story. And I really really really mean it! I don't think I've ever gotten such a response for any of the stories I have posted to this site so far. It really makes me smile after I post a chapter and see ten new emails from reviews and follows and favorites so THANK YOU SO SO MUCH! And this story was just added to a community! And not by me either! Like, happiness is just raining down upon me and making me write! Now, reviewers! **

**DarkXFeatheredCosmic: Thank you so much! While Natsu is a royal, he's still Natsu and I've come to feel that Igneel and Grandine are still parents, even though they are royal. Grandine has at least come to terms with her son's infatuation. Igneel is a different story however, you'll be seeing his side soon. Lucy's parents would be extremely happy for her to be associated with the royal family, wouldn't you? Thank you again! Hope you enjoy!**

**dog's paw burning in hot ash: Thank you! Enjoy it!**

**AngelsFairyTail: Thank you! I think so too! Enjoy!**

**Yuni-sama: Not quite love but a strong feeling yes. Thank you!**

**Cat Goliath: Yeah, Natsu tends to be excitable at times. Thank you for the correction! You're welcome! I just copy and paste the reviews so I can answer them; sorry you're last this time, just means you reviewed first! Hope you enjoy it!**

**blissfulme****: Thank you! Enjoy the new chapter!**

**PARADISE.x****: Yeah, that's Natsu for you. Thank you so much! No more waiting for you!**

**Once more, I don't own Fairy Tail.))**

* * *

The royal stables stood a bit away from the main palace and the gardens, so it was a bit of a walk for Lucy, who was wearing heels as well as breathing through an incredibly tight corset. Natsu didn't seem to notice though as he pulled her along. Once inside, Natsu started naming the horses.

"That's Gajeel's mustang, Pantherlily." Natsu pointed to a black mustang with a white snout and crescent shaped mark next to his left eye.

"Here's Carla, Wendy's mare." Carla was a pure white palomino and on her tail was a pink ribbon.

And at the end of the row of stables, Natsu stopped, "This is Happy! I've had him since he was a colt." The odd thing about Happy was that his mane and tail were blue. Not tinted blue, but purely blue, his coat was a cream-white color, but it continued to shock Lucy. She had never seen a horse with blue hair.

"Is…is that natural?" She asked, pointed to Happy's mane.

Natsu laughed and opened the stall, starting to brush his horse, "Yeah, he was born that way. No one else wanted him; cause people called it a defect. You know what I call it?" He smirked, "Originality."

Lucy giggled softly and pet Happy's nose, "He seems to really love you."

Natsu began to saddle his horse, "Wanna go for a ride?"

"What? But…but I'm not properly dressed…" Lucy said, gesturing to her fancy dress. Natsu frowned, "Well, you could borrow some of my riding clothes if you want…"

Lucy blinked, a blush forming on her cheeks, "Your…riding clothes?"

"Yeah, I always keep extra in the stables." He led her and Happy out of the stall and found some extra trousers and a shirt. He handed the clothes to Lucy and smiled, "Go get changed!"

Lucy felt her eye twitch but nodded and went to another stall to change. She slipped the pants on under her skirt, then frowned, realizing that she couldn't take her dress off by herself.

"Na…Natsu? Um…could you…possibly…help?" She managed to squeak out, turning so the tight laces on her dress faced him. Natsu blinked, before understanding what the blonde asked him.

"Oh…oh! Right!" He stepped close to her and tried to loosen the laces, "Geez, how tight is this thing…" He murmured in frustration, shaky fingers slipping as he tried to pull the laces. He growled slightly before giving up, walking away from the blushing girl and grabbing a simple hunting knife, "Hold still." He said, after getting a nod, he proceeded to cut the laces to her dress, causing it to sag around her shoulders.

"Natsu! You…you just cut my dress! How am I going to put it back on later!" She yelled, quickly pulling on the shirt as to not show the male before her too much of her skin. Natsu blinked, he hadn't thought about the fact that she had to put back on the dress again, "Oh…"

Lucy sighed and tightened the belt that Natsu gave her around the pants before hanging her dress over the side of the stall, "Do you have any riding boots?" She asked, pointing to the heels on her feet. The salmon haired royal nodded and quickly found some boots, which happened to be his mothers. Lucy quickly pulled them on.

"Which horse should I ride?" She asked. Natsu smirked, "Come here." He took her wrist again and led her a few stalls over. Inside the stall was a beautiful golden colored bay stallion, "This is Loke."

Lucy smiled and patted Loke's nose, "He's beautiful."

"Yeah, he's definitely a female lover. He won't let me, my dad or Gajeel anywhere near him, but Wendy or my mom, fawns all over them. He'll take care of you." Natsu said, getting a saddle down from the rack. Lucy helped saddled the golden horse and hosted herself on his back, with slight trouble; she had forgotten she was still wearing the corset underneath Natsu's shirt.

"Come on, there's a great tail down by the river." Natsu said, already mounted on Happy and trotting out of the stables.

The palace grounds were amazing. Tree and plants of every size, shape and color were everywhere. Lucy could barely take it all in, and all the while Natsu was laughing and begging Lucy to race him. Lucy smiled, and giggled. How could someone raised to be so proper, raised to run a country, but so free-spirited and cute?

Lucy blushed at her own thoughts, she couldn't be falling for Natsu, they had only spent one night together. It was an amazing night though, one, Lucy had thought at the time, that she could go through again and again and never get bored of it.

"Lucy!" Natsu pulled the blonde from her thoughts. She shook her head and looked at her companion, "What?" She asked, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"I was saying, wouldn't it be nice to be able to do this all day? Not care about lessons or parties or lunches. Just be free, with friends and enjoy life?" Natsu said, with a smile on his lips.

Lucy could only stare in wonder at the salmon haired male next to her. He was purely an enigma of a human being. And she liked it that way.


End file.
